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Antivirus/malware help needed [Solved]

Pat_54

Posted 09 January 2012 - 12:37 PM

Pat_54

Member

Member

212 posts

Hi! I'm working in windows xp home edition and have a Dell with a AMD Sempron processor 3400+ with 704mb ram. hard drive 74.46gb with free space of 65.2. I know this isn't nothing to today standards when it comes to computers but it worked just fine till kids got on and downloaded tons of junk from internet. I have tried everything I can think of but I'm at witts end now. I downloaded Avast antivirus superantispyware and malwarebytes and have tried running all of these. Computer is so slow it takes 10 to 24 hrs to run any program. I have deleted all the junk files music files everything I can think of and nothing has helped. I am able to get into safe mode and I have ran superantispyware, malwarebytes and antivirus but this has come up with nothing to help with the problem. This use to be a okay machine till it got either malware adware or virus that I seem to not be able to find. I live on a fixed income and can't afford another computer and I think it's useless to put any money into this one being that it's this old. So if you can please help me it would be greatly appreciated. I can run in safe mode okay for now that is where I'm working out of now. Please any help at all. I downloaded the OTL and will attach to this message. OTL Extras logfile created on: 1/9/2012 1:01:42 PM - Run 1OTL by OldTimer - Version 3.2.31.0 Folder = C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\DesktopWindows XP Home Edition Service Pack 3 (Version = 5.1.2600) - Type = NTWorkstationInternet Explorer (Version = 8.0.6001.18702)Locale: 00000409 | Country: United States | Language: ENU | Date Format: M/d/yyyy

Error - 11/4/2011 2:35:20 AM | Computer Name = KATHY-1893E5FC1 | Source = ESENT | ID = 489Description = wuauclt (1100) An attempt to open the file "C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore\Logs\edb.log"for read only access failed with system error 32 (0x00000020): "The process cannotaccess the file because it is being used by another process. ". The open file operation will fail with error -1032 (0xfffffbf8).

Error - 11/4/2011 2:35:31 AM | Computer Name = KATHY-1893E5FC1 | Source = ESENT | ID = 489Description = wuauclt (1100) An attempt to open the file "C:\WINDOWS\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore\Logs\edb.log"for read only access failed with system error 32 (0x00000020): "The process cannotaccess the file because it is being used by another process. ". The open file operation will fail with error -1032 (0xfffffbf8).

[ System Events ]Error - 1/9/2012 4:48:38 AM | Computer Name = KATHY-1893E5FC1 | Source = Service Control Manager | ID = 7001Description = The Fast User Switching Compatibility service depends on the TerminalServices service which failed to start because of the following error: %%1070

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Pat_54

Posted 10 January 2012 - 06:37 PM

Pat_54

Member

Topic Starter

Member

212 posts

Hi all,I really need some help here. This computer use to run pretty good was never the greatest but was given to me and it didn't cost anything. Within the last month it has slowed almost to a crawl. I use to be able to multi task some and programs ran fairly fast given the size of hard drive and ram that's installed. I don't have the cash to increase the ram or the cash to buy a new one so I was fine with it's performance. But like I said it did pretty good for it's size. The kids had gotten on here and downloaded alot of games, movies, music and junk, all of which I have removed along with cookies and all programs that weren't needed, but this didn't help with the slowing of the computer if anything it seemed to run slower. I know I didn't delete things that I shouldn't but who knows what the kids did. Now anytime I try to open a program it sits there and does nothing then it will say not responding then if I let it sit for a while it will finally open that program but not all of the time sometimes I have to wait close the program then reopen it and try again and again. I have downloaded Avast antivirus, Super antispyware and malwarebytes and tried running all of these. It takes hours and I mean hours (like 10-12 hours) if they run at all. I can get into safe mode and there it is at least half decently quick enough to run scans. After running malware scan it said no infections found spyware just found a few cookies and avast has found nothing. I know there is something on this computer I just haven't been able to find it. I'm beginning to wonder if the registry isn't messed up. I did download OTL from your site and managed to run a scan but it took a while. I will be pasting it. Right now things are so slow I have to disable Avast antivirus and superspyware to even be able to do anything and for right now I can get into safe mode but the ways things are going it's beginning to scare me that I won't be able to do that much longer. So can you please help me. Thank you ahead of time. Patty OTL logfile created on: 1/10/2012 1:42:19 AM - Run 3OTL by OldTimer - Version 3.2.31.0 Folder = C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\DesktopWindows XP Home Edition Service Pack 3 (Version = 5.1.2600) - Type = NTWorkstationInternet Explorer (Version = 8.0.6001.18702)Locale: 00000409 | Country: United States | Language: ENU | Date Format: M/d/yyyy

Gammo

Posted 13 January 2012 - 11:32 AM

Gammo

Trusted Helper

Malware Removal

2,299 posts

Hello and welcome to Geekstogo!

We apologize for the delay in responding to your request for help.If you have since resolved the original problem you were having, we would appreciate you letting us know. If not please perform the following steps below.

I've merged your two topics. In the future please don't create multiple topics about one problem. If it has been 3 days you can start a topic in The Waiting Room.

Run OTL

Under the Custom Scans/Fixes box at the bottom, paste in the following

IMPORTANT - Disable your AntiVirus and AntiSpyware applications, usually via a right click on the System Tray icon. They may otherwise interfere with our tools. If you have difficulty properly disabling your protective programs, refer to this link here

Double click on ComboFix.exe & follow the prompts.

Accept the disclaimer and allow to update if it asks

When finished, it shall produce a log for you.

Please include the C:\ComboFix.txt in your next reply.

Notes:1. Do not mouse-click Combofix's window while it is running. That may cause it to stall.2. Do not "re-run" Combofix. If you have a problem, reply back for further instructions.

Please make sure you include the ComboFix log in your next reply as well as describe how your computer is running now

If a suspicious object is detected, the default action will be Skip, click on Continue.

If malicious objects are found, they will show in the Scan results and offer three (3) options.

Ensure Cure is selected, then click Continue => Reboot now to finish the cleaning process.

Note: If Cure is not available, please choose Skip instead, do not choose Delete unless instructed.

A report will be created in your root directory, (usually C:\ folder) in the form of "TDSSKiller.[Version]_[Date]_[Time]_log.txt". Please copy and paste its contents on your next reply.

Run Malwarebytes Anti-Malware

Once the program has loaded, click the "Update" tab and click the "Check For updates" button.

Once the updates were downloaded, click the "Scanner" tab, select "Perform Quick Scan", then click Scan.

The scan may take some time to finish,so please be patient.

When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.

Make sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.

When disinfection is completed, a log will open in Notepad and you may be prompted to Restart.(See Extra Note)

The log is automatically saved by MBAM and can be viewed by clicking the Logs tab in MBAM.

Copy&Paste the entire report in your next reply.

Extra Note:If MBAM encounters a file that is difficult to remove,you will be presented with 1 of 2 prompts,click OK to either and let MBAM proceed with the disinfection process,if asked to restart the computer,please do so immediatly.

Before scanning, make sure all other running programs are closed and no other actions like a scheduled antivirus scan will occur while the scan is being performed. Do not use your computer for anything else during the scan.

Double click GMER.exe.

If it gives you a warning about rootkit activity and asks if you want to run a full scan...click on NO, then use the following settings for a more complete scan..

In the right panel, you will see several boxes that have been checked. Ensure the following are UNCHECKED ...

IAT/EAT

Drives/Partition other than Systemdrive (typically C:\)

Show All (don't miss this one)Click the image to enlarge it

Then click the Scan button & wait for it to finish.

Once done click on the [Save..] button, and in the File name area, type in "ark.txt"

Save the log where you can easily find it, such as your desktop.

**Caution**Rootkit scans often produce false positives. Do NOT take any action on any "<--- ROOKIT" entries Please copy and paste the report into your Post.

Gammo

Posted 15 January 2012 - 01:41 PM

Gammo

Trusted Helper

Malware Removal

2,299 posts

The good news is that your PC is now free of malware.

I've consulted with a colleague and we both think the slowness you're still experiencing (when starting problems) may be caused by your anti-virus (avast!). Please uninstall avast!, and restart your PC. Then try running some programs and please tell me whether they're opening quicker now. If they are, it was indeed Avast's fault, and I'll give you instructions to install another free AV instead of avast.

Pat_54

Posted 15 January 2012 - 04:31 PM

Pat_54

Member

Topic Starter

Member

212 posts

Hi Gammo
I tried to uninstall Avast from add and remove programs but it kept freezing up so went into safe mode and deleted it from there. After reboot. I tried opening up add and remove programs again it still hangs up and when it did open I went to delete another program and it just stays there, doesn't do nothing. Opened internet explorer and its still takes the same amount of time as before. I opened task manager and it says that there is 100% CPU usage. What would be causing this to happen or do you know? I noticed that upon shutdown after uninstalling Avast it a dialog box appear that said end now to asw. I'm really confused on what is even running now and can you please help me get a clean up of the desk top from everything we used in this process and give me another anti virus to use because I'm unprotected at this point. Thank you. You have worked very hard at getting this thing running in top order again. Anymore help on the slowness of the programs opening would be greatly appreciated.

Posted 15 January 2012 - 04:43 PM

If you installed avast! in a different folder than the default, browse for it. Note: Be careful! The content of any folder you choose will be deleted!

Click REMOVE

Restart your computer

After you run the Avast removal tool and reboot your computer, please test if you're still experiencing the slowness. If you are, you can start a new topic about it here, because it's not malware related and solving 'normal' software problems is not my area of expertise.

A list of tool components used in the Cleanup of malware will be downloaded.

If your Firewall or Real Time protection attempts to block OTC to reach the Internet, please allow the application to do so.

Click Yes to begin the Cleanup process and remove these components, including this application.

You will be asked to reboot the machine to finish the Cleanup process. If you are asked to reboot the machine choose Yes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Keep a backup of your important filesNow, more than ever, it's especially important to protect your digital files and memories. This article is full of good information on alternatives for home backup solutions.

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Make proper use of your anti-virus and firewallYou should keep your anti-virus and firewall guard enabled at all times, don't shut them off unless there's a specific reason to do so.

Also, regularly performing a full system scan with your anti-virus program is a good idea to make sure nothing has slipped through your protection. Once every two weeks works well for many people. You can set the scan to run during a time when you don't plan to use the computer and just leave it to complete on its own.

Keep in mind that anti-virus programs are far from perfect. They don't protect you against every piece of malware that's out there, so don't trust them blindly. If an anti-virus reports a file as 'clean' then it's doesn't necessarily has to mean it is.

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Keep all your software updatedIt is important to keep up on system updates from Microsoft by regularly checking their website at: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/, as these patch critical security vulnerabilities and help to keep you safe.

It's also important to keep programs up to date so that malware doesn't exploit any old security flaws. FileHippo Update Checker is an extremely helpful program that will tell you which of your programs need to be updated. Java and Adobe Reader are two of the main security vulnerabilities. You can find the latest version of Java here, you will want the Java SE Runtime Environment (JRE) one. You can find the latest version of Adobe Reader here.

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Use a safer web browserInternet Explorer is not the most secure tool for browsing the web. It has been known to be very susceptible to infection, and there are a couple good free alternatives: Firefox and Opera. Both are excellent faster, safer, more powerful and functional free alternatives to Internet Explorer. It's definitely worth the short period of adjustment to start using one of these. If you wish to continue using Internet Explorer, it would be a good idea to follow the tutorial here which will help you to make IE much safer.

If you decide to use the Firefox browser, the McAfee SiteAdvisor add-on will nicely help to enhance your security. This add-on tells you whether the sites you are about to visit are safe or not. A must if you do a lot of Googling.

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Some other security programs

It is wise these days to have a few security programs installed and running on your machine except from just an anti-virus and a firewall. I will list some of them.

A good anti-spyware program installed on your pc is very important to help remove any spyware that may have gotten on your computer. I highly recommend Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware.

SpywareBlaster to help prevent spyware from installing in the first place.

MVPS Hosts file replaces your current HOSTS file with one containing well known ad sites and other bad sites. This prevents your computer from connecting to those sites in the future.

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Be carefulHaving security programs installed is very helpful to you, but none of them have the gift of human thought. The best way to make sure you don't get infected is to exercise common sense. Be careful of what websites you visit - if a site looks suspicious, trust your instincts and get out of there. Be careful of what attachments you open in emails and files you download from websites - check them over carefully to make sure that you know what you're getting.

Using peer-to-peer programs (eg: LimeWire, BitTorrent, uTorrent, Kazaa) or downloading cracks and keygens is something else to avoid. These are the most common way to get infected. Malware writers use these programs to spread infections as it is the easiest way for them. The majority of infections we see in the Malware Removal forum are due to people using p2p programs to download cracks/keygens/warez. These are not only illegal, but will always contain some form of malware. You have no way of verifying that the things you download are legitimate or that they don't contain malware. Even with an up to date anti-virus and firewall, some of these things will still infect you. It is highly recommend that you uninstall all peer-to-peer programs. It just isn't worth it.

Other common ways of getting infected are dis-reputable sites forcing you to download and install a codec. Or viruses using Instant Messaging programs (Windows Live Messenger, MSN Messenger, AIM) to send a file claiming it to be "photos" from a friend, only for it to turn out to be a virus.

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Slow computer?If your computer begins to slow down in the future for no particular reason, your first step should not be to come to the malware forum. As your computer ages and is used, it's parts wear, files and programs accumulate, and its performance can decrease. To restore your computer's performance to its best possible level, follow the steps in this page written by malware expert Miekiemoes.

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I'll leave this thread open for a couple days in case you come across any lingering problems that need fixing, then I'll close it up. If you need it reopened for any reason just shoot me a PM. It's been a pleasure working with you, now best of luck!

Pat_54

Posted 15 January 2012 - 07:37 PM

Pat_54

Member

Topic Starter

Member

212 posts

Thank you very much for your time and patience. It has been greatly appreciated more then I can say in words. It was a great pleasure working with you, I would have never figured this one out on my own. Keep up the good work you surely help a lot of people out here. Someday you may rewarded for your kindness and devotion. I did everything you told me and figured out what had programs slowed down. Like I mentioned in the task manager I seen something was using 100% of CPU usage. After I went on search found out the problem now everything runs super and I feel great about the cleaning out of computer malware. I will heed your advice and run scans more often and keep things updated. Thanks again Patty